The present invention relates generally to a label to be secured to an exposed edge of a file folder. More particularly, the present invention relates to a unitary file folder label that can be configured in multiple levels or tiers when applied to the edge of a file folder having a tiered exposed edge.
The use of labels secured to exposed edges of file folders is well known in the art. Such labels are used in various businesses and professions to display information relating to the contents of the folder or the subject matter that the folder contains. Through the use of file folder labels, folders that are somewhat generic can be made more suitable for use in a given application. Additionally, using file folder labels eliminates the need for physically writing information on the exposed edges of the file folders. Inasmuch as these labels are commonly provided with pre-printed information, usually in the form of alphanumeric symbols, a label bearing the appropriate information can be readily selected or created and attached to the exposed edge of the file folder.
Generally, the exposed edge of the typical file folder is continuously linear and without any breaks. Therefore, a one piece label can be applied to the file folder edge simply by aligning the label with the file folder edge and thereafter folding the label so that it contacts both the front and back sides of the exposed edge. A suitable adhesive is either provided on or applied to the side of the label that is to contact the exposed edge such that the label can be folded over and secured to the exposed edge with the requisite file information presented thereon.
However, some file folders have a tiered edge, such as the exemplary tiered file folder 100 displayed in FIG. 1. Tiered file folder 100 includes a back flap 102 and a front flap 104. Back flap 102 includes tiered edge 106 having at least one minor tier section 108 and at least one major tier section 110. Particularly, in FIG. 1, two minor tier sections 108 are shown as located on each side of single major tier section 110. The distinction between minor tier section 108 and major tier section 110 is generally made by step 112.
Referring now to FIG. 2, it can be seen that, when front flap 104 of tiered file folder 100 is folded along one of any given score 114 to close upon back flap 102, tiered edge 106 is exposed such that useful file information may be viewed on tiered edge 106, particularly in the multitude of data slots 116 provided thereon.
As mentioned hereinabove, tiered edge 106 could simply be written upon, data slots 116 simply being filled in by hand to provide the requisite information; however, it is much more desirable to provide a file folder label displaying the desired information. Unfortunately, in the prior art a single, unitary file folder label has not been provided for file folders having tiered edges such as tiered edge 106. In the past, when it was desired to place a label on a file folder having tiered edges, the data was placed on by means of separate labels, with a separate label being applied to each tier on the folder""s exposed edge. Employing an individual label associated with each tier adds to label costs and increases labor intensity by requiring that each label be individually applied to the tiered edge. Thus, there exists a need in the art for a tiered file folder label of unitary construction that can be applied to a tiered edge of a file folder.
In light of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a folder label of unitary construction that can be applied to a tiered edge of a file folder and can conform to the tiered shape thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a tiered file folder label, as above, that is constructed to have a major tiered section or sections corresponding with a major tier or tiers on a given tiered file folder and a minor tier section or sections corresponding with a minor tier or tiers on that given tiered file folder.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a tiered file folder label in combination with a file folder having an exposed edge including at least one major tier and at least one minor tier.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination file folder and tiered file folder label, as above, wherein the tiered file folder label is of unitary construction and has at least one major tier section and at least one minor tier section corresponding, respectively, to the at least one major tier and at least one minor tier on the exposed edge of the file folder.
It is further aspect of the present invention to provide a method for applying a unitary file label to a file folder having an exposed edge including at least one major tier and at least one minor tier.
These and other objects of the present invention, which will become apparent from the description that follows, are achieved by the improvements to the folder label art hereinafter described and claimed.
In general, a folder label made in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention includes a unitary label portion having at least one major tier section and at least one minor tier section, the at least one major tier section being partially separable from the at least one minor tier section along a portion of said at least one major tier section such that the at least one major tier section and the at least one minor tier section may be partially separated in order to be individually manipulated to fold back on themselves at varying positions along the unitary label portion.
Other objects of the present invention are accomplished by a tiered file folder label in combination with a file folder having an exposed edge including at least one major tier and at least one minor tier, the combination including a unitary label portion having at least one major tier section and at least one minor tier section, the at least one major tier section being partially separated from the at least one minor tier section along a portion thereof such that the at least one major tier section and the at least one minor tier section are individually configured in separate levels to cover a respective major or minor tier of the file folder.
A preferred, exemplary tiered file folder label incorporating the concepts of the present invention is shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings without attempting to show all the various forms and modifications in which the invention might be embodied, it being understood that the invention is to be measured by the appended claims and not by the details of the specification.